I assume that most everyone has already read that Barack Obama won the Iowa Democratic caucus tonight, the first step towards winning the party nomination… and then possibly the White House. Depending on your political leanings you may either be overjoyed or disappointed by this news.
Regardless of your views on the war in Iraq, health care, terrorism, the economy, gun control, and social values I hope everyone views Obama’s win as a singular landmark moment for all people of color in the US. For the first time in the nations 220+ year history we have a viable presidential candidate that is a racial minority! For the first time people have raised their hands and said “Good leadership is not the sole providence of old white men.” - and it actually made a difference. Having an emblem of capable, competent, inspirational leadership that looks like the multi-cultural/multi-racial country we have become can only help to boost all people of color with leadership aspirations.
How amazing would it be to look back on this day 50 years from now and say it was the watershed moment when the country began to shed its color coded politics and its unconscious favoritism of the status quo. There are currently only 12 women, 1 Asian-American, and 6 African-Americans leading Fortune 500 companies. Furthermore, Asian-Americans hold only 1.5% of Fortune 500 corporate board seats. Hopefully, this new definition of leadership will help boost these numbers.
A girl can hope can’t she?
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Ernie wrote:
Which is all well and great, but that other political candidate makes me nervous. You know, the charming Southern Baptist one that believes in Biblical inerrancy.
Posted on 03-Jan-08 at 10:34 pm | Permalink
John wrote:
Ernie, I would not be too scared of Huckabee - 60% of the Republican caucus goers in Iowa self-identified as evangelicals - this is quite disproportional to other states. As much as ”I like Mike” Huckabee is a ”nice” guy, I think it would be great he won the Republican nomination because I think he would be beaten handily by any of the ”big 3” Democrats.
Congrats to Obama - his win in Iowa is truly historic. But we’ll see if Obama can take it to the end. Bill Clinton didn’t come first in Iowa nor New Hampshire in 1992…
Posted on 03-Jan-08 at 10:59 pm | Permalink
Bo wrote:
I totally agree with John on this one. Should Huckabee actually garner the Republican nomination, he has very little ability to win the general election. I believe the biggest actual threat to the Democratic candidates is John McCain. People are starting to wake up the fact that Romney is an unctious snake oil salesman and Guiliani really isn’t the great leader that he is continuosly reminding us of. McCain is the most viable candidate amongst the Republican pool but he’s also 73. A lot of people are scared away by that number.
Posted on 04-Jan-08 at 6:49 am | Permalink
Bertie wrote:
The Republicans were handily trounced. Here’s the percentage of the total vote, taking into account both parties…
24.5% Obama
20.5% Edwards
19.8% Clinton
11.4% Huckabee
Basically, a lot of the Republicans stayed home, except the evangelicals, who came out in full force. Not all Republicans are evangelicals, and many Republicans believe that Huckabee is nothing but a religious big government Socialist. Obama, from various news reports, has actually been poaching quite a few Republican defectors. I’m not terribly worried about Huckabee.
In any event, an Obama/Edwards ticket will be unbeatable.
Posted on 04-Jan-08 at 9:28 am | Permalink
Jesse! wrote:
*joy!*
Posted on 04-Jan-08 at 9:56 am | Permalink
Obi wrote:
The way the Americans are described in the U.K.
US presidents are not elected for their foreign policy. They are elected on the strength of their tough talking, hollow promises of change and their good wholesome Christian faith.
Margaret Thatcher was made Prime Minister of Great Britain and we found that women’s rights were not made any better under her watch.
It would be fascinating to see whether Obama is elected as President and then find that he is just like all other politicians.
Posted on 05-Jan-08 at 2:36 am | Permalink
Bo wrote:
Obi, I guess that’s what all the Obama supporters are hoping for…and what he’s staking his campaign on. Change.
Honestly, I don’t think Obama should focus on civil rights anymore just b/c he’s black. I’m not staking my ultimate choice based on the candidates race. I’m basing it on which candidate best reflects my economic and social ideology. If I based my choice on a candidate that best reflects me superficially I’d probably select Hillary. Shudder.
Posted on 05-Jan-08 at 8:53 am | Permalink
Obi wrote:
Been reading about the American elections on my side of the pond. All the candidates talk about change.
One thing, I have found; I can trust politicians to say anything to get elected and then “change” their mind to suit their own ends.
I didn’t vote for the Labour Party and now cannot find anyone who did.
I do find it fascinating that your politicians can regard the lifestyles of other people as wrong (i.e. homosexuality) and still remain electable.
That Rudy Giuliani(spelling?) can, with a straight face, proclaim that the British NHS is inferior compared to the American health system. I know that the British NHS is inferior compared to what the French and the German have, but it is better than the non-existent American Health service.
I dread that we might end up following the way American Politicians get elected.
Posted on 07-Jan-08 at 5:31 am | Permalink
Bo wrote:
Obi, some interesting thoughts. That was Ralph Nader’s argument in 2000 when he ran as a third party candidate - that the Republican and Democratic candidates are indistinguishable. Well, consider how the last seven years and Iraq war have unfolded, I think a lot of people would disagree with Nader now. I doubt we’d be in this mess had Al Gore been in office.
I find America’s social conservatism as vile as you do but you have to remember that Europe is far more secular than America. Church going people still make up the majority in this country. I don’t think the same can be said about Europe. For heaven sake, the current front runner in the Republican race doesn’t even believe in evolution! Much of the social conservatism you see in our political system is pandering to a relatively small % of Americans. Most polls actually show that people really aren’t as homophobic as our political system might indicate. It’s just that the current administration has been very good at using fear to illicitate extreme views in people.
As for health care, I couldn’t agree with you more. Our system is screwed up. People seem to forget that we do have a form of socialized medicine in this country - it’s called Medicare and Medicaid. I don’t think anyone would argue that the best medical care in the world can be found in the US…but you have to pay a price. The real issue is access. That’s where we falter. We may have some of the best medical professionals in the world but access is very uneven.
Personally, I believe the greatest weakness in our political system is the apathy of the average American citizen. Sociologists have long shown that stability in a society often leads to apathy amonst its citizens. Americans have the highest standard of living in the world. Until their is a real threat to that standard of living most Americans aren’t going to care or do much. That’s why we’re left with a poltical system that panders to the extremists.
Posted on 07-Jan-08 at 7:33 am | Permalink